swan

Having been driving a loaner BMW for a while now I think I can honestly answer this question. It's not because BMW drivers are inconsiderate. Or stupid. It's not that they don't know where they are. Or are blind.

Rather it's a matter of safety. You see, as I've found out, BMW's obviously have this feature that if you indicate while your headlights are on, the headlights switch off. This is clearly designed to discourage the use of indicators as you need to switch the lights off and on again after you've stopped the indicators.

Clearly this proves that BMW drivers have only your best interests at heart when they don't indicate. So the next time you get cut off by a BMW who didn't indicate, don't hoot or flash your lights in anger but rather in thanks.

fatherpierre

Eh?

I take it the one you loaned had dodgy electrics?

Brun

Sounds broken to me.

swan

Yup, somethings a bit confused on the insides.

But:
BMW drivers are notorious for not using indicators which means they're bad drivers.
I drove a BMW and explained above why they're not bad drivers, quite considerate actually.
Therefore all BMW drivers are actually considerate in not using their indicators.

Bobby Peru

Also, speeding motorists are only looking to help the economy by paying more money to Gordon Brown in fines and hit and run drivers are merely helping junior doctors training, It's just other short sighted people cannot comprehend this.

fatherpierre

I always used to indicate when I had my 325i - even if I wasn't going to turn

SWRTWannabe

Does each BMW have a section in the owner's manual about driving like a git?

Bobby Peru

I think I was already a tw*t and maybe that influenced me into buying a BMW, that and the fact they are nice cars.

Marky-San

Funnily enough - I look at 3 BMW's today, and the indicator stalks were all brand new - still shiny and black. When I switched one on.....people all around stopped and stared at it like it was a UFO.

Weird...LOL!!

swan

SWRTWannabe - I think the car just rubs off, no manual required.

Merc_Cosworth

How does that work then?

I had a '97 323i company car, and the light switch was a dial type down to the right of the instruments a la Vauxhalls, Mercedes etc..

Personally I always indicated in that thing, but the rather wonky handling often meant I went a different way.

The worse designed switch gear mechanism on the planet is on the early Alfa 155s - the lights are a twist switch on the end of the indicator & high beam arm... The only problem was, the high beam movement required a decent amount of effort, and if you weren't careful, the you'd turn the lights off at the same time - caused a few brown trousers that did!

CrisPDuk

I remember a similar feature on Mk4 Escorts, the switch was so poorly designed (even by Ford's impressively shoddy standards), that as you turned the indicators on the contact would brush the headlight flasher, with the implication that the car waiting to turn across you could, without you even knowing you'd let them
I had several incidents in Olly's Dad's van where I thought other road users were ***** before I realised what it was.

Subsequent to this discovery, whenever I drove it I just didn't bother indicating, thus elevating myself to wannabe BMW driver

Nick L

Oh - So its not because they own the road then, along with taxi drivers of course!
Hmmmmm - And there was me thinking that they were hiving off a good proportion of my road tax to fund all the extras needed.......steering wheel, setas etc. Which thinking about it is why some don't have indicators maybe.

swan

Nick, that's what I also thought which is why I thought it important to correct the misconceptions that so many of us have.

Black Cat

Now I can honestly say that I know for a fact their lights do actually work.... because a BMW driver actually let me out of my driveway the other morning.... and he flashed me and he stopped... so ... there you go.... but then I was driving the Jag so maybe it was more a bit of respect...... ha ha...

In defense of BMW drivers, I drove my boss's 5 series a couple of years ago for a couple of days - I'd never been more cut up, more pulled out on... more people up the back of me... more people flashing, more shakey fists in my life - so it was up yours I ain't indicating either.... and no before the wise cracks start I wasn't driving any different than when I drove my Scoob (incident free).
P